I can identify on behaving/living like this: not submitting to God as my King and then essentially being my own king and determining what is right or wrong. For me, at times, I can be filled with much fear and anguish, that I really try to take matters into my own hands and live how I think I should live. Then my life usually turns into a mess. I have to give up my unwillingness to trust my God as King, and ask for the willingness to trust Him, to try to walk with Him to do His will even when I feel like I really can’t see where I am going, and asking Him to help me to remember that He will wipe away every tear, He will dwell with me forever and does now, and He leads me. Easier said than done, but trying to make progress on this.
Like
Ben
5d ago
“Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”
Judges 10:16 NIV
I could be wrong in my interpretation and understanding of this verse and the rest of Judges 10 leading up to this, however, this verse hit my heart. The fact that God (referred to the “he” pronoun in this verse, as I understand this) was bearing Israel’s misery, as Israel was being oppressed for 18 years from the Philistines and the Ammonites, just rocked my world, because it seems to me that God is experiencing the misery that Israel is experiencing. Isaiah expressed God experiencing Israel’s distress as mentioned in Isaiah 63:9 NIV: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” My entire point of this all is: God experiences my pain and suffering in real time showing that I am literally spiritually and emotionally connected with God in my distress, which comforts me, because at least I am not alone in the pain, even if the pain doesn’t go away. That gives me hope to endure the pain, because at least I am connected to my God through this hardship, making memories of this all with Him, and being cared for in these sufferings by Him, respectfully.
Back to the Judges’ verse of God could bear Israel’s misery no longer, God then used Jephthah to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. God again was merciful to Israel by helping Israel overcome their oppressors. It shows to me how personal God is to me, walking through the hardships with me, and just showing how much He cares about me, for His glory and namesake. It is nice to see that expressed with Him resurrecting His Son today (Easter Sunday), for His glory and namesake, that I get to be part of His family forever.
Like
Ben
Mar 27
In Judges 1-3, I appreciate the honesty that the Judges’ author, possibly Samuel or whomever the author was, had with writing harsh reality pattern that: Israel forsake God, followed other gods (Baal and Ashoriah?), harmful consequences followed from their actions, Israel cried out for help to God, God delivered them by sending a Judge, the Israelites worshiped God, the Judge dies, then the Israelites forsake God, and the pattern continues. I appreciate it, because it just seems to support that God is real, that these evens really did happen, and that it showed God’s heart of justice, love, and compassion is still there despite Israel’s choices, because I don’t think if someone was going to try to make up this Israelite story, respectfully, they would include these embarrassing facts to support their agenda, in my opinion. I can identify with the Israelites, at times, forsaking God, worshiping my heart and/or other gods and experiencing those harmful consequences from doing that. Then, by God’s will, trying to cry out to Him for Him and His help, and I am grateful that He is compassionate with me and comes for me still, as a sinner that I am. Grateful for His patience and grace for me in Christ’s works, not mine.
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Pastor Steve
Mar 30
Replying to
It is easy to identify with the cycle in the book of Judges. We do what is right in our own eyes, we experience oppression (really, God's discipline), we repent, and God restores. This cycle is simplified in the New Testament with death and resurrection (great week to mention that! :-) ). We die to our sinful nature, and rise to the new nature given in our baptism. This spiritual warfare goes on within each and every Christian through repentance and forgiveness! And our God always restores, rescues and redeems!
You also are great in pointing out the rational for why the Bible truly is the inspired Word of God. Most people would try to redact or leave out their failures...not so with God's people. He doesn't do this so that we look stupid, or even so that we learn from it! He does this to show His unchanging nature! Gracious, compassionate, merciful, slow to anger, and always abounding in His steadfast love!
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Karlee
Mar 26
"On this rock, I will build my church" ...Today this verse struck me, when dealing with parenting woes and being down in the trenches, Josh and I reflect on this. We are building the foundation for our boys. In their spiritual life, discipline, being respectful gentlemen, etc. This verse made me think about laying that foundation for them and as they grow up and the important values we want them to shine as they get older.
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Pastor Steve
Mar 26
Replying to
And then we get to go outside and see the foundation for the cafeteria addition being set before our eyes...it isn't easy work, but it is so important!!
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Ben
Mar 07
Deuteronomy 9 hits me, based on that Moses tells the Israelites that it is not because of their integrity or their righteousness that the LORD gave them the Promised Land, but it was due to God keeping His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and due to the wickedness of the foreign nations there.
Most of the time, anything positive that happens to me, I want to take 100% of the credit and do, at times, truly think that this positive event happened to me because of how good I am. Nope. Check the facts. Me claiming that I can see, makes me blind, and all I have, in my opinion, is a result of God’s will. I couldn’t cause myself to be born when I wanted to, and this is just one example that it’s all God behind this, not me. It was an important reminder for me to try to remember Who is running the show: God is, not me. Easier said than done, asking my God to help me grow in this truth more.
Like
Karlee
Mar 05
Deut beginning chapters: what really stuck out to me is diligently teaching your children and may your family be blessed! My husband, Josh, is blessed to have grown up in a huge family who really support each other and are very open in praying and talking about their faith tomorrow. Josh and I hope to instill those same values with our own boys and I love watching them grow up and see the ways they have already grown in their faith as toddlers.
Like
Karlee
Mar 05
"He restores my soul!" Psalm 23 ... in anything and everything, He restores my soul. I love that shift from Psalm 22 (despair) to Psalm 23 (He restores/leads/my cup overflows). So often do I see in my own life shifting from one extreme to the other as you see in the Psalms. I'm glad it's not just me that struggles with this! I think no matter what I am feeling, it is good to remember that He restores me. Teaching, motherhood, daily living...it can all be hard at times and He restores me and I am new each morning to continue in His ministry!
Like
Pastor Steve
Mar 05
Replying to
Yes, the struggle is real! If only we knew of the victory that is ours...may it shift our despair amid the struggles!
Like
Pastor Steve
Mar 02
I love in Deuteronomy 4 how Moses calls Israel to obedience. He doesn't shake his finger at them or talk down to them. He uses himself as an example of what happens to disobedience - consequences! We don't like that, and yet, the message is so that we are not separated from God. Moses uses himself as that example, reveals his sin and the consequence that he isn't able to enter into the promised land. I don't see him pout around like I would. I don't hear him complain that God is to hard, unfair, or unjust. He says, he cannot enter because his sin angered the LROD.
I pray that I can respond like Moses in the difficult times of life and trust fully that the Lord is faithfully at work for our good. For Moses, he didn't have to lead that stiff-necked and stubborn people. He didn't have to walk through the dusty broken creation. Even in his sinfulness, Moses entered not the promised land on the earth, but the glorious inheritance of heaven that awaits all of us who believe! Until then...we hear His call to obey and trust in every one of His promises!
Like
Karlee
Mar 05
Replying to
I never really picked up on how Moses stayed strong even in the face of his consequences (and admitting them!). May I also hear/see that example and put it into my own life when I am in the wrong.
Like
Ben
Feb 28
In Numbers ?12-15?, I liked how God was in the cloud hovering over the tabernacle to communicate to the Israelites to stay where they were camped at, or to leave camp when the cloud raised up.
Haha, I sometimes don’t think God physically and intentionally interacts with me in the world, yet He does. This is a nice reminder to me to try to keep my eyes open to Him working in this present world and in my life.
Like
Karlee
Feb 27
"Train up a child in the way he should go" - a ministry I am called to as a teacher and mother! In the throws of toddler discipleship and all that is to come as my boys get older. I constantly worry and wonder but know God takes and will continue to take care of them. I feel like I am finally starting to realize all the worries my own mother had/has with all of her kids.
“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
Judges 17:6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jdg.17.6.ESV
I can identify on behaving/living like this: not submitting to God as my King and then essentially being my own king and determining what is right or wrong. For me, at times, I can be filled with much fear and anguish, that I really try to take matters into my own hands and live how I think I should live. Then my life usually turns into a mess. I have to give up my unwillingness to trust my God as King, and ask for the willingness to trust Him, to try to walk with Him to do His will even when I feel like I really can’t see where I am going, and asking Him to help me to remember that He will wipe away every tear, He will dwell with me forever and does now, and He leads me. Easier said than done, but trying to make progress on this.
“Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.”
Judges 10:16 NIV
I could be wrong in my interpretation and understanding of this verse and the rest of Judges 10 leading up to this, however, this verse hit my heart. The fact that God (referred to the “he” pronoun in this verse, as I understand this) was bearing Israel’s misery, as Israel was being oppressed for 18 years from the Philistines and the Ammonites, just rocked my world, because it seems to me that God is experiencing the misery that Israel is experiencing. Isaiah expressed God experiencing Israel’s distress as mentioned in Isaiah 63:9 NIV: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.” My entire point of this all is: God experiences my pain and suffering in real time showing that I am literally spiritually and emotionally connected with God in my distress, which comforts me, because at least I am not alone in the pain, even if the pain doesn’t go away. That gives me hope to endure the pain, because at least I am connected to my God through this hardship, making memories of this all with Him, and being cared for in these sufferings by Him, respectfully.
Back to the Judges’ verse of God could bear Israel’s misery no longer, God then used Jephthah to deliver Israel from the Ammonites. God again was merciful to Israel by helping Israel overcome their oppressors. It shows to me how personal God is to me, walking through the hardships with me, and just showing how much He cares about me, for His glory and namesake. It is nice to see that expressed with Him resurrecting His Son today (Easter Sunday), for His glory and namesake, that I get to be part of His family forever.
In Judges 1-3, I appreciate the honesty that the Judges’ author, possibly Samuel or whomever the author was, had with writing harsh reality pattern that: Israel forsake God, followed other gods (Baal and Ashoriah?), harmful consequences followed from their actions, Israel cried out for help to God, God delivered them by sending a Judge, the Israelites worshiped God, the Judge dies, then the Israelites forsake God, and the pattern continues. I appreciate it, because it just seems to support that God is real, that these evens really did happen, and that it showed God’s heart of justice, love, and compassion is still there despite Israel’s choices, because I don’t think if someone was going to try to make up this Israelite story, respectfully, they would include these embarrassing facts to support their agenda, in my opinion. I can identify with the Israelites, at times, forsaking God, worshiping my heart and/or other gods and experiencing those harmful consequences from doing that. Then, by God’s will, trying to cry out to Him for Him and His help, and I am grateful that He is compassionate with me and comes for me still, as a sinner that I am. Grateful for His patience and grace for me in Christ’s works, not mine.
"On this rock, I will build my church" ...Today this verse struck me, when dealing with parenting woes and being down in the trenches, Josh and I reflect on this. We are building the foundation for our boys. In their spiritual life, discipline, being respectful gentlemen, etc. This verse made me think about laying that foundation for them and as they grow up and the important values we want them to shine as they get older.
Deuteronomy 9 hits me, based on that Moses tells the Israelites that it is not because of their integrity or their righteousness that the LORD gave them the Promised Land, but it was due to God keeping His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and due to the wickedness of the foreign nations there.
Most of the time, anything positive that happens to me, I want to take 100% of the credit and do, at times, truly think that this positive event happened to me because of how good I am. Nope. Check the facts. Me claiming that I can see, makes me blind, and all I have, in my opinion, is a result of God’s will. I couldn’t cause myself to be born when I wanted to, and this is just one example that it’s all God behind this, not me. It was an important reminder for me to try to remember Who is running the show: God is, not me. Easier said than done, asking my God to help me grow in this truth more.
Deut beginning chapters: what really stuck out to me is diligently teaching your children and may your family be blessed! My husband, Josh, is blessed to have grown up in a huge family who really support each other and are very open in praying and talking about their faith tomorrow. Josh and I hope to instill those same values with our own boys and I love watching them grow up and see the ways they have already grown in their faith as toddlers.
"He restores my soul!" Psalm 23 ... in anything and everything, He restores my soul. I love that shift from Psalm 22 (despair) to Psalm 23 (He restores/leads/my cup overflows). So often do I see in my own life shifting from one extreme to the other as you see in the Psalms. I'm glad it's not just me that struggles with this! I think no matter what I am feeling, it is good to remember that He restores me. Teaching, motherhood, daily living...it can all be hard at times and He restores me and I am new each morning to continue in His ministry!
I love in Deuteronomy 4 how Moses calls Israel to obedience. He doesn't shake his finger at them or talk down to them. He uses himself as an example of what happens to disobedience - consequences! We don't like that, and yet, the message is so that we are not separated from God. Moses uses himself as that example, reveals his sin and the consequence that he isn't able to enter into the promised land. I don't see him pout around like I would. I don't hear him complain that God is to hard, unfair, or unjust. He says, he cannot enter because his sin angered the LROD.
I pray that I can respond like Moses in the difficult times of life and trust fully that the Lord is faithfully at work for our good. For Moses, he didn't have to lead that stiff-necked and stubborn people. He didn't have to walk through the dusty broken creation. Even in his sinfulness, Moses entered not the promised land on the earth, but the glorious inheritance of heaven that awaits all of us who believe! Until then...we hear His call to obey and trust in every one of His promises!
In Numbers ?12-15?, I liked how God was in the cloud hovering over the tabernacle to communicate to the Israelites to stay where they were camped at, or to leave camp when the cloud raised up.
Haha, I sometimes don’t think God physically and intentionally interacts with me in the world, yet He does. This is a nice reminder to me to try to keep my eyes open to Him working in this present world and in my life.
"Train up a child in the way he should go" - a ministry I am called to as a teacher and mother! In the throws of toddler discipleship and all that is to come as my boys get older. I constantly worry and wonder but know God takes and will continue to take care of them. I feel like I am finally starting to realize all the worries my own mother had/has with all of her kids.